Soyuz-U launch with Kobal't-M satellite - May 17, 2012

[anik]

According to Novosti kosmonavtiki forum, the launch of Soyuz-U rocket with Kosmos (Kobal't-M) satellite is planned on May 17th from the launch pad 16/2 of Plesetsk cosmodrome.

[Phillip Clark]

According to the thread about future Russian launches, this was scheduled for May 7th.   A ten days delay or a typo somewhere?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Since the exact launch time is not known yet, can anyone here check if the airspace and sea areas for the drop zones of this launch has been put on yet? Thanks!

[anik]

The launch is planned at 14:05:00 UTC on May 17th.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Since the exact launch time is not known yet, can anyone here check if the airspace and sea areas for the drop zones of this launch has been put on yet? Thanks!

The NOTAMs are up, and shows that the launch seems to be aiming at a 81 degree inclination orbit.

V3500/12 - ATS RTE SEGMENTS CLSD AS FLW:
A333 SOTIS-DELIL,
G355 SOTIS-DOBUT,
G911 KOMOV-MEZEN NDB (MZ),
R355 ROKUT-MEZEN NDB (MZ),
R360 RINOV-ARBUK.

SFC - UNL, DAILY 1350-1510, 17 MAY 13:50 2012 UNTIL 22 MAY 15:10 2012.
CREATED: 11 MAY 06:42 2012

V3542/12 - FLW RESTRICTED AREAS ACT:
1. 681000N 0442000E-681000N 0454000E-675000N 0454000E- 673000N 0450000E-
673000N 0440000E-681000N 0442000E.
2.  ULR117.
3.  ULR119.

SFC - UNL, DAILY 1350-1510, 17 MAY 13:50 2012 UNTIL 22 MAY 15:10 2012.
CREATED: 12 MAY 07:00 2012

Bob Christy has a detailed explanation: http://www.zarya.info/Gallimaufry/120517KobaltM.php

[Chris Bergin]

This is the first of three launches in five hours on Thursday!

Any useful info on Kobal't-M in English?

[Danderman]

Here is a useful backgrounder:

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kobalt_m.html

"A 6.6-6.7-ton Kobalt-M was developed by TsSKB Progress of Samara and manufactured by OAO Arsenal of St Petersburg. Like its predecessor, the satellite was designed to return film back to Earth onboard two small capsules, as well as inside the main cone-shaped reentry vehicle after about 120 days in orbit. The system turned out to be the most robust asset in the post-Soviet period thanks to its relative low cost and the simplicity of correlating imagery to the original topography. Kobalt-M satellites are typically launched by Soyuz-U rockets from Plesetsk into the 170 by 370-kilometer orbits with the inclination 62.8 - 67.2 degrees toward the Equator"

I should also mention that it appears that Kobalt M is a modernized Yantar.

[Skyrocket]

I should also mention that it appears that Kobalt M is a modernized Yantar.

More correctly: Kobalt-M is a modernized Yantar-4K2 (Kobalt). Yantar is a whole family of spacecrafts. Flown versions are:

* Yantar-1KFT / Kometa: Area survey with Vostok/Zenit type reentry capsule
* Yantar-2K / Feniks: Hi-Res film return with one large and two small capsules
* Yantar-4K1 / Oktan: Improved Feniks
* Yantar-4K2 / Kobalt: Improved Oktan
* Yantar-4K2M / Kobalt-M: Improved Kobalt
* Yantar-4KS1 / Terilen: Electro-optical
* Yantar-4KS1M / Neman: Improved Terilen

There are more Yantar based satellites (civilian eo satellites Resurs-DK, Resurs-P; Lotos-S ELINT sat), for which no Yantar designation is known. There might be even more (possibly Orlets spy sats).

[Stan Black]

This is the first of three launches in five hours on Thursday!

Any useful info on Kobal't-M in English?

Previous mission durations
http://ofo.ikiweb.ru/bokz.php

[Stan Black]

I should also mention that it appears that Kobalt M is a modernized Yantar.

More correctly: Kobalt-M is a modernized Yantar-4K2 (Kobalt). Yantar is a whole family of spacecrafts. Flown versions are:

* Yantar-1KFT / Kometa: Area survey with Vostok/Zenit type reentry capsule
* Yantar-2K / Feniks: Hi-Res film return with one large and two small capsules
* Yantar-4K1 / Oktan: Improved Feniks
* Yantar-4K2 / Kobalt: Improved Oktan
* Yantar-4K2M / Kobalt-M: Improved Kobalt
* Yantar-4KS1 / Terilen: Electro-optical
* Yantar-4KS1M / Neman: Improved Terilen

There are more Yantar based satellites (civilian eo satellites Resurs-DK, Resurs-P; Lotos-S ELINT sat), for which no Yantar designation is known. There might be even more (possibly Orlets spy sats).

And don’t forget Ikar

[Stan Black]

Pictures
http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/photogallery/gallery_053/pages/IMG_8583.html

[Chris Bergin]

Thanks!

[Danderman]

I should also mention that it appears that Kobalt M is a modernized Yantar.

More correctly: Kobalt-M is a modernized Yantar-4K2 (Kobalt). Yantar is a whole family of spacecrafts. Flown versions are:

* Yantar-1KFT / Kometa: Area survey with Vostok/Zenit type reentry capsule
* Yantar-2K / Feniks: Hi-Res film return with one large and two small capsules
* Yantar-4K1 / Oktan: Improved Feniks
* Yantar-4K2 / Kobalt: Improved Oktan
* Yantar-4K2M / Kobalt-M: Improved Kobalt
* Yantar-4KS1 / Terilen: Electro-optical
* Yantar-4KS1M / Neman: Improved Terilen

There are more Yantar based satellites (civilian eo satellites Resurs-DK, Resurs-P; Lotos-S ELINT sat), for which no Yantar designation is known. There might be even more (possibly Orlets spy sats).

My point is/was that there was a Yantar film return capsule that is continuing to fly under the Kobalt-M moniker.

BTW, for you people who like to count such objects, there is an interesting web site at:

http://www.militaryparitet.com/nomen/russia/space/orbikosapp/data/ic_nomenrussiaspaceorbikosapp/15

[Rahkashi]

Any chance of this being broadcasted?

[anik]

Any chance of this being broadcasted?

No chance.

[Rahkashi]

Any chance of this being broadcasted?

No chance.

That's what I figured. I take it this is a Russian military launch?

[Chris Bergin]

Yep, spy sat.

25 mins to launch?

Confirmation of launch into this thread will be required.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Yep, spy sat.

25 mins to launch?

Confirmation of launch into this thread will be required.

Usually RIA Novosti have journalists waiting for launch confirmation too, so I can look out for that.

The launch shouldn't take more than a dozen minutes or so.

[Chris Bergin]

Great, thanks GP!

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Launched right on time.

http://ria.ru/science/20120517/651437640.html

[Chris Bergin]

Boom! Excellent.

[Chris Bergin]

Short article with a bit on the spacecraft (per this thread's resources) and William Graham's Soyuz overview:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/05/russian-soyuz-u-launches-kobalt-m-satellite/

[input~2]

Estimated time of satellite separation 1413UTC
http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=246234

[anik]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

[input~2]

http://er.ru/news/2012/5/17/s-kosmodroma-pleseck-zapushen-sputnik-voennogo-naznacheniya/

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued a first object:
38335/2012-024A in 186.8 x 254.9 km x 81.38°

[Jason1701]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Why is that?

[anik]

Why is that?

Because of introduction of new Soyuz-2 rocket.

[Danderman]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

I wonder how existing payloads are going to be adapted to the more capable Soyuz-2 LVs. Maybe they will simply fly with ballast.

[input~2]

Article in Russian on Soyuz-U retirement, replaced by Soyuz-2
http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/298138/

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued a first object:
38335/2012-024A in 186.8 x 254.9 km x 81.38°

Now a second object:
38336/2012-024B in 186.0 x 246.8 km x 81.38°

[Nicolas PILLET]

It was the last (435th) launch of Soyuz-U rocket from Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Does that mean it was the last Kobalt-M satellite ?

[Lewis007]

Video of the launch

[anik]

Does that mean it was the last Kobalt-M satellite?

No, two more.

[Satori]

Nice photo collection of this launch from Novosti Kosmonavtiki http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/photogallery/gallery_232/index.shtml

[Phillip Clark]

Cosmos 2480 is still chugging away in orbit and if it's still up there late on September 27th it will be the longest-lived recoverable Yantar close-look photoreconnaissance satellite.

Is there any known public information that indicates when the two side-mounted descent capsules return to Earth during these flights?

[anik]

Is there any known public information that indicates when the two side-mounted descent capsules return to Earth during these flights?

For Kosmos-2480, probably, on June 15 and July 16, as per http://www.tsskb-progress.ru/novosti/itogi-raboty-za-iiun-2012-goda.html

[Phillip Clark]

Cosmos 2480 just failed to break the record.   It came down on September 24 and I am estimating a recovery time of 17:02 + 2 min UT.

[Stan Black]

It looks like Kobalt №563 Kosmos-2480 was intended to introduce a new fairing, the 14С736. However, I think the rocket ordered to launch Kobalt №563, was instead used to launch the one before Kobalt №562 Kosmos-2472?

Как установлено материалами дела, между истцом и ответчиком заключен договор №1458/2953 от 21.09.2009 (далее – договор), в соответствии с которым истец обязался выполнить работы по изготовлению СЗБ 14С736 для изделия 11Ф695 №563 (этап 1), а ответчик обязался принять и оплатить выполненные работы в сроки и в порядке установленные договором, предусмотренном условиями договора.

[russianhalo117]

It looks like Kobalt №563 Kosmos-2480 was intended to introduce a new fairing, the 14С736. However, I think the rocket ordered to launch Kobalt №563, was instead used to launch the one before Kobalt №562 Kosmos-2472?

Как установлено материалами дела, между истцом и ответчиком заключен договор №1458/2953 от 21.09.2009 (далее – договор), в соответствии с которым истец обязался выполнить работы по изготовлению СЗБ 14С736 для изделия 11Ф695 №563 (этап 1), а ответчик обязался принять и оплатить выполненные работы в сроки и в порядке установленные договором, предусмотренном условиями договора.

I understood same conclusion from my volunteer work with RussianSpaceWeb.